The concept of everyday beauty significantly influenced the Nordic modernist movement in the mid-20th century and served as a cornerstone for the development of the ARKET brand. Coined in 1919 by Swedish art historian Gregor Paulsson, the slogan "More beautiful everyday goods" captured a new, democratic approach aimed at bridging the fields of art, handicrafts, and utilitarian design to create affordable, accessible items for daily life. In the Nordic region, this aspiration embraced a new aesthetic characterised by clean lines, a neutral colour palette, and solid materials drawn from nature and the northern climate. Above all, it prioritised functionality and longevity as the basis of good design.
We believe that the foundation of sustainability in the retail world should be a focus on longevity and purposeful design. Our aim is to provide a curated selection of garments and goods that are not only beautifully designed and visually inspiring but also have a clear function and meaning in our everyday lives. Our products are carefully crafted to outlast short-lived trends, to be used and cherished for many years, and eventually handed down to someone else.
A modern-day market is how we envision the brand: an inspiring design and lifestyle destination with a broad, edited assortment for the entire family, along with a seasonal Nordic café under one roof, representing a slower-paced retail experience with room to breathe. Each of our stores is unique and designed in dialogue with the local architecture, but some of our signature interior features include archive shelving systems in a monochrome palette of soft greys, combined with a variety of natural materials such as solid oak interiors and custom-made terrazzo flooring.
Dedicated to elevating the concept of everyday food, our vegetarian cafés are local hideaways, located inside most ARKET stores. Emphasising seasonality, creativity, and natural ingredients, the menus offer a carefully composed selection of seasonal dishes, sweet treats, limited edition pastries, and speciality coffee. The menus are created by head chef Martin Berg, an early advocate of the New Nordic food movement. With a fine dining background and prior experience as executive chef at several Michelin-starred restaurants, he wants to bring food creativity, quality, and exceptional taste to a wider audience.
Our design studio and head office are located on Södermalm in Stockholm, Sweden. As a brand and employer, we want to reflect and celebrate the diversity of the world we operate in. Our global outreach is a great responsibility that motivates us to constantly challenge ourselves, stay curious, and grow. Diversity and inclusion are not siloed focus areas but a lens through which we examine our daily work. We value the importance of inviting unique perspectives to the table and tapping into our collective knowledge and experiences. It helps us stay creative and resilient and, most importantly, nurtures an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome, respected, empowered, and heard.
Moments of presence with Mario Milana
Interviews|November 2024
The works of Mario Milana focus on the interaction between the body, mind, and objects. With this approach, the Milan-based furniture designer attempts to integrate the habit of presence into everyday life, looking to expand the meditative practice beyond an assigned time and place. ‘If you have to interact with something both physically and mentally, then you're present in that moment.’
The hidden features of our typeface ARKET Sans
Design|November 2024
Meant to reflect our preference for simplicity, functionality, and longevity, the ARKET logo isn’t a logo but merely the name of the brand set in uppercase in our own bespoke type family, ARKET Sans, which was developed in 2015 by the Icelandic and Danish design duo Or Type.
Re:Down
Suppliers|November 2024
Based in California, France, and Hungary, Re:Down produces lightweight, insulating filling materials from recycled down and feathers.
Baked sweet potatoes with apple salsa
Food|November 2024
A lighter vegan option featuring a flavour-bursting mix of herbs, baked sweet potatos and green apple. An ideal dish for weekday dinners or an equally suitable side dish for the brunch table.